Companies Rethink Performance Reviews to Boost Engagement

Firms like Meta, Amazon, and BCG are revamping their evaluation processes to prioritize top performers and provide more frequent feedback.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 5:15am by Ben Kaplan

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As the pace of change accelerates, many major companies are revising their performance review processes to be more responsive and focused on worker development. Firms like Adecco Group, Meta, Amazon, and Boston Consulting Group are adjusting their approaches to emphasize continuous feedback, clearer goal-setting, and a distinction between assessment and development. The goal is to better retain and engage employees in a tight labor market.

Why it matters

Traditional annual performance reviews are often seen as outdated and ineffective, failing to meet workers' needs for flexibility, job satisfaction, and clarity on career growth. By revamping their evaluation processes, companies hope to boost employee engagement and retention, especially for their top performers, in a competitive hiring environment.

The details

Adecco Group is revamping its review process for over 35,000 corporate workers, ensuring workers have 2-5 clear goals and emphasizing the "behavioral aspect" of how those goals are achieved. The staffing firm is also shifting to more continuous feedback, rather than just formal reviews once or twice a year. Other companies like Meta, Amazon, and BCG are simplifying their processes to better reward top performers and incorporate expectations around new technologies like AI.

  • Adecco Group announced its performance review overhaul in early 2026.
  • Gallup surveyed Fortune 500 CHROs in 2023, finding only 2% strongly agreed their performance process motivated workers to improve.

The players

Adecco Group

A global staffing firm with over 35,000 corporate workers across 60-plus countries.

Daniela Seabrook

The CHRO of Adecco Group, leading the company's performance review overhaul.

Allison Vaillancourt

A VP at the HR consulting firm Segal, providing insights on the shift in performance review practices.

David Murray

The CEO of Confirm, a San Francisco startup focused on reinventing performance reviews.

Rajesh Namboothiry

The senior vice president at the staffing firm ManpowerGroup, discussing how employee expectations are driving changes to performance reviews.

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What they’re saying

“We have this combination of what we want to achieve, but also how we achieve it. The behavioral aspect is really important for us.”

— Daniela Seabrook, CHRO, Adecco Group

“It's very important that the people know, 'Where am I? How am I doing? How am I developing?'”

— Daniela Seabrook, CHRO, Adecco Group

“You might be able to get development out of the continuous feedback conversations, but you lose the assessment side.”

— David Murray, CEO, Confirm

“They understand that lack of growth opportunity is a key driver for attrition.”

— Rajesh Namboothiry, Senior Vice President, ManpowerGroup

What’s next

Adecco Group plans to fully implement its new performance review process across its global workforce by the end of 2026.

The takeaway

As the pace of change accelerates, major companies are recognizing the need to modernize their performance review practices to better engage and retain top talent. By prioritizing continuous feedback, clearer goal-setting, and a distinction between assessment and development, these firms hope to create a more responsive and motivating evaluation process for their workers.